Hayley Williams Honors Late Ex-Husband Chad Gilbert, Calls Him "A Legend"

Hayley Williams has shared a statement about the recent death of her ex-husband, Chad Gilbert, guitarist and co-founding member of New Found Glory .

“Have not known what to say or if it’s appropriate. But I feel sure now that I want to bc life is made of the paths we cross and the reasons we cross them are infinite,” the Paramore frontwoman wrote in an Instagram Stories post. “Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot. He introduced me to people that continue to shape my life in beautiful ways, and to music and culture that has made life a lot richer.”

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Williams continued, “There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about what he contributed to the musical world a lot of us grew up in. His influence and attitude guided the genre forward. His passion for fostering the community was inspiring and sticks with me.”

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“I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and a reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore,” she concluded. “Sending love and my sympathies to his family, NFG fam, and all his friends.”

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Williams and Gilbert began dating in late 2007. They got engaged in December 2014, married in 2016, and divorced in 2017.

Their relationship was the subject of Paramore songs like “Still Into You” and later, after their breakup, Williams’ solo 2020 track “Dead Horse.”

Gilbert co-founded New Found Glory in 1997 and also fronted the hardcore band Shai Hulud. He died in his sleep on September 20th at the age of 45 after a five-year battle with cancer.

> new from hayley pic.twitter.com/fshDkdPWkC — jen (@YELYAHPOI) September 23, 2026

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_Originally reported by [Consequence](https://consequence.net/2026/09/hayley-williams-chad-gilbert-statement-tribute/)._